Spring balances for double hung window sashes



March 26, 1957 D. M. HETTINGER 2,786,230

SPRING BALANCES FOR DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW SASHES 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledJuly 19, 1954 .95 3/ INVENTOR. Daniel M. Hef/ingen ZQZZWW/VMWH/ATTORNEYS.

March 26, 1957 D. M. HETTlNGER 2,786,230

SPRING BALANCES FOR DOUBLE HUNG WINDOW SASHES Filed July 19, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A A V IN V EN 7:012. Don/e1 M. Hefi/ngen gikawrm A TTORNEV5.

United States Patent '0 SPRING ,sALA cEs or DOUBLE WINDOW SASHES Daniel"M. Hettinger, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to The Weatherproof ProductsCorporation, Holmes Park, Mo., a corporation of Missouri ApplicationJuly 19, 1954, Serial No. 444,137 4 (Elaims. (c1. its-197 This inventionrelates to spring balances for double hung window sashes.

Spring balances are particularly desirable because they are inexpensive,easily operated and are better adapted to weather stripped windows.However, if spring balances are not properly installed, they will notoperate satisfactorily. Further, the springs are usually noisy when thesash is operated and also they are subject to noise resulting fromsympathetic vibrations. Therefore, the principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a spring balance which may be furnished as anassembled unit and which may be easily and accurately installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring balance unitthat is quiet in operation and free of metallic noises that ordinarilyresult from poor installation and sympathetic vibrations.

Further objects of the invention are to provide spring anchors that holdthe parts of the unit in assembly prior to application and whichfacilitate accurate installation; to provide a sash balancing unit withspring anchors that are self-adjustable with respect to the angularityof the edge of the sash to which they are applied; to provide a springha'lance unit including a spring housing equipped with a sound deadeninglining of flock or similar material; and to provide the upper anchor forthe spring housing and spring, which is applied without denting ortwisting of the spring housing.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invena tion, I haveprovided improved structure the preferred forms of which. areillustrated in the accompanying drawinggs wherein: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of. a double hung window equipped withspring sash balances ponstructed in accordance with the presentinvention, part of the window sash d f m be broken away to shortenthefigure and better illustrate the construction and arrangement of thespring balances.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the springbalance units particularly illustrating its o tin in a s h an the anc rf r att h ng h lower end of the spring.

3 i a f a mentary lon tudinal section o e up er a d o e e d o h unit, pat cula y r ti e Spring a ch rs- Fis- 4 s e P W iV iew o one o he p inganch for tta h t r gs t t e sash 5 is a P pec ive i w imile to F g. 4.but showing the anchor as viewed from the underside thepeof.

s- 6 is a f a men ry cross-section th ou h upsid of he ow a h l us ra nghe re a o at the. sprin Ba an es o e ea hc strip wh ch a so rms th gide- W y f e respective up er nd lase sa h of a indow- Fig! is a f m t rr a sess? ie at ap-Qr a o t e. S r p ma e s from? which the s rin h usinar fo ms? E 3.. 9 nd .0 are diagramm tic v ews. llus ratin e d n ea e apicati n f n assembled s r ng balance unit.

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Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a window frame having side jarnbs 2 carrying an outer blindstop 3 and an inner stop 4 that are spaced apart to accommodate aweather strip 5. The weather strips at each side of the window arepreferably formed as a unit to provide sash guideways Sand 7 on therespective sides of a central parting stop portion 8. The preferredweather strip 5 is illustrated and specifically described in myeo-pending application Serial No. 320,957 on Combination Weather Stripand Sash Guide for Double Hung Windows. Briefly,'-the weather strip isshaped to provide rather flexible web portions 9 and 10 of substantiallyarched cross-section as shown in Fig. 6, and which have outer flanges 11and 12 that are pressed against the inner and outer side faces of theupper and lower sashes 13 and 14 respectively. While the parting stopportion 8 is pressing against the outer and inner faces of therespective sashes responsive to resiliency of the web portions 9 and 19.It is obvious that the sides of the sash are guided within the windowframe by the guideways 6 and 7 of the weather strips 5 and that theresilient strips provide sea-ls along the sides of the sash to cooperatewith the transverse seals (not shown) and provide a substantiallyweather tight construction. The sashes 13 and 14 are thus looselymounted yet weather sealed incidental to the resiliency of the sashguides. The window sashes are substantially balanced for easy movementin the ways by means of spring balancing units as now to be described.

Each balancing unit includes a coil spring 15 and a tubular housing 16.Each spring 15 has sufficient action for lifting substantially one-halfthe weight of each sash when the spring is extended. The upper ends ofthe spring of each unit are secured near the upper ends of the ways andtherefore the springs must be of suflicient length to accommodate fullmovement of the sash that is, from a position when the springs are,stretched and the sashes are in their lower-mostposition to theuppermost position within the window frame. It is obvious that asusbtantial portion of the springs would be normally exposed above thewindow sash. Each spring 15 is there fore contained within a tubularhousing 16. The tubular housings 16 are preferably produced from sheetmaterial normally in strip form, as shown in Fig. 7. Suitably. attachedto the innerside of the strip 1? as by'an adhesive is a lining strip 18of paper or fabric material having the outer surface thereof coveredwith flock or similar sound deadening material 19. The strip is rolledto tubular form with the side edges 20 thereof meeting in abuttingrelation to provide an open longitudinal seam 21. Each tubular housing16 is of proper length so that when one end is attached within the upperend of a sash-way the lower end slightly laps the tops of the sash. Eachtubular o therefqre of a en h subs ant al y c e po d n it th h i ht of te as n so th the t o h spr ng hen th sp ing is. in sl ht y stret hedcondi ion- The u ul housing when t us shaped of l shape an ustom: n radus to th t om r a ur 22 of t e g ooves 23 that are provided n s d edgeso the sashhe. inner diam t r o he ubul r h s ngs a e o a siz to permitthe prin s to r r t ree y her n.

The upper end of each tubular housing is provided with a transversesleeve or elongated grommet 24 extending through registering openings 25and 26 in the sides of the housing and having flanged ends 27' and 28engaging the outer face sides of the housing as best shown in Fis- 3- Espr g 5' has. hooks Z9 and t formed on respective ends thereof to engagethe transverseg mmet 24 and an anchor 31 that is secured to the loweredge of the sash.

Each anchor 31 includes a plate portion 32 having a circular boss 33pressed therefrom with a slightly tapered periphery 34 conforming inradius to the radius of the bottoms of the sash grooves. The boss has atop offset from the plate portion 32 and the top is transversely slittedand pressed therefrom is a loop or bail portion 35 having convergingsides to form an under transverse groove for seating the book of thesprings. The slits and out struck bail form openings 36 to pass the hookof a spring therethrough. The plate portion has parallel sides 37 and 38.of slightly larger width than the width of the sash grooves to overlapthe end of the sash on the respective sides of the grooves. Thetransverse side edge 39 of the plate portion nearest the bail extendsparallel with the side edge of the sash and joins with the side edges inrounded curves 40. 'The opposite side edge 41 is substantiallysemi-circular and forms a flange of slightly larger radius than therounded bottom portion of the groove thereof and to cooperate with theside portions 37 and 38 in engaging the bottom edge of the sash. Therounded edge 41 of the plate portion is preferably provided with prongs42 and 43 that are struck upwardly therefrom and which are adapted to bepressed into the wood of the sash to hold the anchor in fixed positionrelatively thereto and there- -by retain the spring substantiallycoaxial within the bot- --tom curvature of the sash groove and giveample clear- ,ance for the tubular housing when the spring works there-.in during operation of the sash.

The spring anchor 31 and tubular housing 16 are assembled at thefactory. One end of the spring is passed into the tubular housing 16 sothat the hook 29 thereof registers with the openings and 26.

The elongated grommet 24 is passed through the opening 25, eye of thehook and opening 26. The end of the grommet is then flanged over theface of the tubular housing to retain assembly and to maintain thediameter of the tubular housing at the points of the grommet. A tool-(not shown) is projected into the opposite end of the tubular housingto engage the hook of the spring and stretch the spring as the tool iswithdrawn from the end of the tube. The bail of the anchor 31 is engagedwith the hook 30 and the tool is removed. The spring .then pulls. theboss of the anchor into the end of the .tubular housing until .stoppedby the flange portions of the anchor. The spring thus retains the partsin'assembly .so that each spring balance may be furnished as a singleunit.

When the spring balances are to be mounted in the sash a spring balanceis placed in the grooves at the side of the sash. The ends having theanchors 31 are placed in the grooves so that the flange portions of theanchor seat against the bottom edge of the sash. A fastening device,preferably a drive screw 44, is passed through each of the grommets andthe tubes are pulled outwardly from that end of the grooves to stretchthe springs sufficiently for the projecting end of the screws to engagethe upper edge of the sash so that the ends of the tubes are held inprojecting relation with the upper edge of the sash. The spring balancesare assembled in both sashes in a similar manner and the metal weatherstrip and guides 5 are placed over the side edges of the sash, theentire unit is then moved into the window frame after which the innerstops 4 are applied. The projecting ends of the tubular housings 16 arethen raised against action of the springs 15 so that zthe upper endssubstantially abut the head jamb of the window frame with the screws 44registering with openings -44' (Fig. 3) that have been provided in theweb portions .9 and 10. The screws 44 are then driven through theopenings 44' and into the wood of the side jambs 2 to anchor the upperends of the springs 15 and to suspend ,the tubular housings 16 thereoveras shown in Fig. 1 with Ithe lower ends thereof engaging within the sidegrooves ofthe'sashi by the flock lining of the tubular housings.

The upper sash may then be moved to its upper position. The springs ofthe balances therefore contact and assist in lifting the sash. The innersash is moved downwardly to close the window opening against action ofthe springs 15 of the balances therefor. The weight of the window,together with the downwardly moving force load the springs and thesprings are stretched to assist in lifting the sash when the lower sashis to be opened.

The anchors 31 play an important part in the ease of assembly becausethey are self-adjusting to the angularity of the lower edge of the loweredge of the lower sash and also the right angular edge of the uppersash.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a spring balancingunit that is of simple and inexpensive construction and which may befurnished as an assembled unit for easy installation and to assure thatthe parts are properly installed to provide for smooth, easy actingsashes. The grommets 24 prevent distortion of the tubular housings whenthe drive screws are driven home.

It is also obvious that vibration of the springs, incidental to raisingand lowering the sash, is deadened It is also obvious that sympatheticvibrations set up by external noises are absorbed by the deadeningaction of the flock material.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A spring balance for a window sash having grooves extendinglongitudinally within side edges of the sash that slide vertically ofthe ways of the jambs of a window frame, said spring balance comprisinga pre-assembled unit including a tubular housing having an exterior sizefor sliding fit within said groove of the sash, a grommet extendingtransversely within the upper end of the tubular housing and havingflanges on the ends thereof engaging outer opposite sides of the housingto form a rigid support, an attaching device adapted to be projectedthrough the grommet into a jamb of the window frame and having a head toengage one end of the grommet and to seat the other end of the grommetagainst the bottom of the sash way of the window jamb, a coil springwithin the tubular housing and having books on the ends thereof, one ofsaid hooks being hooked over the grommet, and an anchor having a plateportion adapted to engage the bottom edge of said sash and having a bossinitially engagable within the lower end of the tubular housing toretain the plate portion in fixed relation with the lower -end of thetube, said boss having a bail fixed thereto and engaging with the hookon the lower end of the spring to hold the assembly under action of thespring, and said plate portion having prongs adapted to be located atthe bottom edge of the sash when the tubular housing is placed withinsaid groove of the sash and adapted to be driven into the sash while theplate is retained in said position to secure the lower end of the springto the sash.

2. A spring balance for a window sash having grooves with semi-circularbottoms extending longitudinally with in side edges of the sash thatslide vertically of the ways of the jambs of a window frame, said springbalance comprising a pro-assembled unit including a tubular housinghaving an exterior diameter for a sliding fit within said groove of thesash, a grommet extending diametrically within the upper end of thetubular housing and having flanges on the ends thereof engaging outerdiametrical sides of the tubular housing to form a rigid support, anattaching device adapted to be extended through the grommet and having ahead to engage one end of the grommet and to seat the other end of thegrommet against the bottom of the sash way of the window jamb, a coilspring within the tubular housing and having hooks on ends thereof, oneof said hooks being hooked over the grommet, and an anchor having aplate portion adapted to engage the bottom of said stile and having asubstantially circular boss engagable within the lower end of thetubular housing'to" retain the plate portion in fixed relation with thelower end of the tubular housing, said boss having a bail fixed theretoand engaging with the hook on the lower end of the spring to hold theassembly under action of the spring, and said plate portion havingprongs adapted to be located at the bottom edge of the sash when thetubular housing is placed within the groove of the sash and adapted tobe driven into the sash while the plate is in said location for securingthe spring to the sash.

3. A spring balance for a window sash having grooves with semi-circularbottoms extending longitudinally within side edges of the sash thatslide vertically of the ways of the jambs of a Window frame, said springbalance comprising a pre-assembled unit including a tubular housinghaving an exterior diameter for sliding fit within said groove of thesash and of shorter length than the height of the sash, a grommetextending diametrically within the upper end of the tubular housing andhaving flanges on the ends thereof engaging outer diametrical sides ofthe tubular housing to form a rigid support, an attaching device adaptedto be extended through the grommet to engage temporarily the upper edgeof the sash when the spring balance is being installed and said fastening device having a head to engage one end of the grommet and to seatthe other end of the grommet against the bottom of the sash Way of thewindow jamb, a coil spring Within the tubular housing and having hookson ends thereof, one of said hooks being hooked over the grommet, and ananchor having a plate portion adapted to engage the bottom of said stileand having a substantially circular boss engagable within the lower endof the tubular housing to retain the plate portion in fixed relationwith the lower end of the tubular housing, said boss having a bail fixedthereto and engaging with the hook on the lower end of the spring tohold the assembly under action of the spring prior to installation andto retain the spring balance in said groove of the sash when the upperend of the tubular housing is drawn upwardly over the spring to wherethe fastening device is engaged over the upper edge of the sash, andsaid plate portion having prongs adapted to be located at the bottomedge of the sash when the tubular housing is contained within the grooveof the sash and adapted to be driven into the sash while the plate is insaid location for securing the spring to the sash.

4. A spring balance for facilitating the raising and lowering movementof a Window sash having a groove extending longitudinally within one ofthe side edges of sash that slide vertically of the sashways at thesides of a window frame in which the sash is mounted, said springbalance comprising a preassembled unit including a tubular housinghaving an exterior size for sliding fit within said groove of the sash,fastening means extending from one side portion of the tube to thewindow frame, a coil spring within the tubular housing and having hookson opposite ends thereof, one of the hooks extending over a portion ofthe fastening means to anchor that end of the spring, and an anchorhaving a transverse bail portion engaged by the hook on the lower end ofthe spring and having lateral portions adapted to engage under thebottom edge of the tubular housing at opposite sides thereof to retainthe spring in expansion, said lateral portions being of a length toproject beyond opposite sides of the tubular housing to engage thebottom edge of the sash on opposite sides of said sash groove and saidbail portion being of a size and oflfset upwardly from said lateralportions to extend upwardly Within the lower end of the tubular housingto retain said projecting portions in position for engagement with thesash in forming a connection of the sash With the spring whereby thespring is stretched when the sash is lowered and the contracting actionof the spring eifects a lifting force on the sash when the sash israised.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS491,114 Johnson Feb. 7, 1893 2,077,262 Prudden Apr. 13, 1937 2,086,433Prudden July 6, 1937 2,122,576 Larson July 5, 1938 2,257,051 GossenSept. 23, 1941 2,260,056 Rosentreter Oct. 21, 1941 2,604,655 Peremi July29, 1952 2,686,333 Starck Aug. 17, 1954

